1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to high pressure water guns; and, more particularly, to guns that eject water under high pressure to clean insulators of utility power lines or the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
High pressure water guns are known in the art for ejecting a stream of water under relatively high pressure for cleaning various items, such as insulators of utility power lines or transformer cooling fins, as well as circuit breakers. Generally, such guns require a considerable amount of pressure and flow such as 600 pounds and 50 gallons per minutes to operate. These guns operate by being coupled to a high pressure water source such as a fire pump. Prior art guns require significant strength to operate and the use of both hands. Many prior guns have a large number of moving parts and require periodic servicing. In fact, many such guns, although relatively expensive, only last about six months out in the field and then have to be replaced.
One major improvement in this area was the invention of Duncan as recited and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,383 issued Sep. 27, 1983. While that patented device made a significant improvement over the wash guns of the time, still the Duncan device has been found to have some drawbacks of its own, which could not be anticipated at the time such guns were first put into the marketplace.
For example, the Duncan 383 device utilizes lubricated O-rings. Field personnel tend to ignore the need to keep these O-rings lubricated so, leaks would arise, or the trigger would stick in the open position upon actuation.
While power companies try to utilize demineralized water in their cleaning efforts, sometimes this "pure" water is either not available or not utilized by uneducated personnel. The old Duncan design often corroded or suffered calcium or other deposit buildups from the water.
The earlier Duncan unit suffers from not being field repairable. Cleaning and maintenance are facility based not field based as is preferable.
There is thus a need for a water gun for cleaning insulators and other power company components which requires relatively light pressure and only one hand to operate, is simple and easy to manufacture and employs field replaceable parts.
An object of this invention therefore, is to provide an improved wash gun for use by the utility companies and others.
Another object is to provide a wash gun for cleaning electrical insulators that is easy to operate.
Yet another object is to provide a high pressure wash gun that can be field serviced.
Still another object is to provide a wash gun that ejects water under high pressure with relatively light operating pressure.
A yet further object of this invention is to provide a wash gun which is relatively maintenance free.
An additional object is to provide a high pressure water gun for cleaning insulators, cooling fins, etcetera, which gun is simple to manufacture and has a relatively long life.
These and other objects will in part appear herein, and will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the device possessing the features properties and the relation of components which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.